Chicken Corn Chowder

Oh, snow. That’s what I woke up to this morning. Little fluffy flurries falling from the sky. (Heh, that was so something Dr. Seuss would say.) Though in retrospect it could have been much worse, being that it’s pretty much all melted now, but from the moment I stepped outside for work this morning I knew it was a soup night.

But what kind of soup Jen???

First and foremost, a delicious soup. (Duh!) A soup that will fill up my fussy fiancé who insists soup should never be a meal without a sandwich to accompany it. And perhaps, a soup with a little sass…kinda like me! So I decided on Chicken & Corn Chowder!

I’d never really made chowder before.

Ever.

Chowders are notoriously heavy from all the cream that’s typically included in them, and though they’re nice once in a while, I usually avoid dishes with cream as a main component. (Thank goodness I don’t like alfredo sauce, right?)

I wanted something that would warm my bones, but I didn’t particularly feel like having something really heavy tonight, so rather than the typical heavy cream chowder recipes call for, I used some creamed corn, reduced fat cheddar cheese and a little 2% milk to give my soup the creamy consistency of a chowder without weighing ya down. The end result was absolutely to die for; sweet from the corn, smokey from crispy bacon, spicy from some cayenne pepper and green chilies, and salty from some tortilla chips I sprinkled on top. This soup is the absolute perfect dinner for a cold winter night cuddled up on the couch with an episode of Friends and your love bug… (that last part, well, maybe that’s just for me 🙂 ).

Chicken Corn Chowder

3 strips of bacon

1 tablespoon butter

1 small red onion, diced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1/2 of a small green bell pepper, diced

1 (6 oz) can diced green chilies

2 tablespoons flour

2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups chicken stock

1 can creamed corn

1 can sweet corn kernels (don’t drain it!)

1 cup 2% milk

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup cooked chicken, shredded

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese ( I use the 2% milk kind)

Salt to taste

In a large pot, begin by cooking the bacon on high heat
until the fat renders and bacon is crispy.
Remove the bacon from the pan and set it on a plate lined
with paper towels to drain any excess fat. Crumble when cooled and set aside.

Add the butter, peppers, onions and green chilies to the pot.
Let cook for about 5 minutes until soft.
Sprinkle in the 2 tablespoons of flour and stir well,
until the flour becomes a lovely golden brown color.

Add the stock, both cans of corn, the chicken and the potatoes to the pot.
Stir well and bring to a simmer.

Once the soup beings to simmer,
add the milk and the spices to the pot,
stirring to incorporate. Then mix in the cheese.